The Challenge | The Gear

I read a lot. Well, I read a lot of other photographer’s blogs and I’m a gear head. One of the professionals I like to follow is a chap by the name of Sean Tucker. (Website)In his blog post, “Island of Gozo”, (watch his video), he talks about pairing down his camera equipment for a trip to the island of Gozo, where he was to meet up with an old friend. He talked about the “challenge” of using just one prime lens, his camera, his feet, and his imagination to create beautiful images. I thought, hmmmm…. I had been thinking of this same “challenge” for some time and thought his video was very timely.

I had a couple of photo opportunities coming up. The time was right to embark on this challenge. Now, I have been a zoom guy since I can remember. Back in the day, I shot hundreds, if not thousands of prints and slides using a 43-86mm f3.5 Nikkor, and an 80-200mm f4.5 Nikkor. By the way, that 43-86mm Nikkor was pure crap, but, it made it so I didn’t have to change lenses a lot, and I liked that. I’ve just always had zoom lenses. You name it, I’ve probably shot it.

So, I challenged myself to shoot exclusively with a 24mm f1.8 Nikkor on my Nikon D500, crop sensor camera. That would give me as close as I could get to my favorite single focal length of 35mm, (FX sensor equiv). On my D500 I would have a 36mm lens and that would be it. I would leave my 17-55mm f2.8 Nikkor home. Now all I needed to do was dial up Lens Rentals and rent the 24mm Nikkor for a week. About three clicks with the computer mouse and it was ordered.

The Venues

My first shooting opportunity came at a Civil War reenactment encampment at the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury, Alabama. It is an annual event that draws a fairly large local crowd. They have static displays and educational seminars for students and the grand finale; the battle. There are plenty of authentically clad actors that stroll about and provide photo opportunities in formation.

Shooting this type of event is a lot of fun. Normally I would have been using my 17-55mm (26mm-83mm equiv). Using just one focal length did provide some challenges. Space was tight in some areas, so getting far enough back was sometimes difficult. In some cases I had to move in very close to my subject which definitely gathered attention. Did I miss some interesting angles? Yup, sure did. And, I found I really had to work harder to get what I wanted, but, that’s not a bad thing.

The second location for my challenge was the Destin area in the Florida panhandle, as is represented in the opening image. My wife and I spent a few days there eating a bunch of seafood! We travel there several times a year and I’ve photographed most of the sights several times over so I thought this would be quite a nice little diversion.

Most of our time is spent either walking on the beach, shopping, or eating. Just normal stuff, right? While my wife shopped, I looked around for anything that looked interesting to shoot. The fact I only had one prime lens (36mm equiv), was not as limiting in this environment. There were a few occasions I wish I had a little longer reach but rarely did I feel I needed a much wider view. Gear is important, but, imagination can make up for lack of gear in many cases.

Trying to get what I wanted in the area of landscape photography was where I found myself a little limited. This is where I wished I had a little longer lens available. I had no option of getting closer to my intended subject, in this case the iconic long leaf pines of Draper Lake near Grayton Beach. Draper Lake is one of the many coastal dune lakes found along Scenic Hwy 30a. A true gem of the Florida panhandle.

Thoughts & Observations

I had fun! The lens was superb. I am currently shooting with the new crop sensor D500 powerhouse. The lens was magnificent on this body. This isn’t a lens review and I’m hardly competent enough to evaluate a lens, on a technical level, but, this is a great lens on a crop sensor camera. I really don’t see why it wouldn’t perform very well on an FX body.

The experience was interesting. I found myself thinking more about what I could get out of an image, knowing I only had the one focal length available. But it really wasn’t all that limiting. I may, in fact, do this again. I was thinking maybe next time I’ll rent a 35mm Nikkor (50mm equiv), and see what I can get. I believe anytime you take the time to think through a shot, it’s a good thing. Sometimes I seem to be on auto pilot. I needed a change. This was fun and challenging.

Finally, if you find yourself in a photographic rut, find a way to get yourself thinking. This may be one way to get a new perspective, (pun intended), on your craft. Now, go to the link I provided in the first paragraph and listen to what Sean Tucker has to say. Maybe it will inspire you too.

The Garage Games started in Woodstock, Georgia, in 2010. Athletes from around the entire United States compete in scores of competitions around the country. Many athletes come from a CrossFit® gym or that type of training. I learned though that CrossFit® is not affiliated in any way with the Garage Games. Combat on the Coosa is a Garage Games event held each year at Gold Star Memorial Park in Wetumpka, Alabama and I wanted to photography it using my Nikon D500 with it’s amazing continuous autofocus ability. The local event is called Combat on the Coosa, with the Coosa River a stone’s through away. This Blog post is about my efforts at editorial photography using the fairly new Nikon D500, APC-C flagship. I used the 17-55mm f2.8G ED Nikkor lens for all the shots.

Nikon D500, 17-55mm f2.8G ED, f8, 1/800th, ISO 560, @Rick Lewis 2017

I shot this event last year using a Fuji X-Pro2 and had limited success trying to focus on the competitors. They move very quickly in an up and down position and sometimes hold a position for several seconds before dropping the weights. The continuous focus and focus tracking just could not quickly acquire, track and then hold focus about 60% of the time. It was very frustrating. I can’t really fault that camera because it was never intended to be able to shoot sports confidently. That’s not what the X-Pro2 was designed for. It is great for street photography and general travel photography but for sports; not so much.

This year I took my Nikon D500 and my hit rate for in-focus images was probably around 98%! I’m not kidding. I took 599 images, all using continuous focus with a variety of the focus tracking options, and I had around 12 images that were soft. None were total losses. That is amazing to me.

I really enjoyed shooting this event; Combat on the Coosa. The contestants were mostly on the young side but you will see in the ensuing images that not all were in their teens or 20’s. They all had tremendous confidence and competitive spirit. The people not competing were all cheering them on. There were all body types and sizes as well. The one common denominator was that they all wanted to win!

Editorial photography is what I love to do. And this event did not disappoint. It was difficult getting quality images that showed the individual efforts and sacrifices each contestant made. Judges wandered in and out of frame, constantly, monitoring each contestant rep to make sure it counted for score. In addition, those that came for moral support, to cheer them on, all had cell phones, video taping the events. It was tough and somewhat frustrating. I did manage to get a few good images. If you are interested in The Garage Games Series, go to their Website Here for more information and locations for the events. Take a look below at some of the action.

Thanks for looking and if you wish to make a comment, please do so. My contact information can be located at the top of the page under “Contact Rick”.

It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been meaning to do this for some time. It seems every time I see an article about the new Nikon D500 it is about birds in flight, wildlife, or sports photography. It almost seems as though this camera is only suited for these genres of photography. Not so; and I’ll attempt to prove that in this post.

When the Nikon D500 was announced, I could not believe my eyes. This camera was a long time coming and many think, too long! (Myself included in this group.) In 2013, after retiring from my professional career, I switched from my extensive Nikon gear (D3, D4 & a bunch of pro glass), to all Fuji APS-C gear. I wanted to go smaller and lighter with good quality lenses and great image quality. It seemed a no brainer. The D500 was still just a dream.

I soon learned after investing in a Fuji X-T1, X-E2, and X-Pro2, and many lenses, that the cameras were just too small and light for me. They produced great images but I had a very difficult time using them. Along came the D500. I did not want the bulk of the D810 nor did I want to spend that kind of money on a body again, so the D500 looked perfect.

I bought it, along with a used (9+) 17-55mm f2.8G ED Nikkor lens. I later added the MB-D17 battery grip. It’s a brick, I know, but still, a smaller brick than my beloved D4! I paid $1995 for the D500 and only $730 for the lens off Ebay, through a trusted store. Not a bad deal.

Most everything I was reading about the camera pertained to using long lenses, along with the incredible D5 focusing module. These articles hit mostly on the focusing ability and really didn’t get into image quality and the real versatility of the camera.

I found the camera to be very well suited for travel, editorial and any general assignment photography a pro would come up against and certainly what any non-pro would need. From the images you’ll see it is superb at higher ISO’s and has a very wide dynamic range for an APS-C CMOS sensor.

I was able to try out the fantastic focusing abilities of the D500 at the 2016 International Firefighters Combat Challenge. It takes a little practice but it worked flawlessly and will make any non-pro photographing their active children quite happy, not to mention the pro that needs the speed, and reach, for sports or wildlife photography.

I took the camera to Old Alabama Town to see how the camera would perform at a little editorial travel photography. Even though this is an outdoor museum, most of the interesting imagery is inside and in very dark and challenging settings. I shot for a couple of hours and doubt I got much below 2000 ISO except for a few outdoor images.

I am really impressed with the color depth and the workability of the files in post. I processed all of these images using Adobe Lightroom CC ®. I use VSCO presets most of the time, as a starting point, and work from there. I tend to like high contrast, saturated, images, as you will see. This does tend to bring out the digital “noise” in any image but I really don’t care. I think you will see the Nikon D500 noise pattern is exceptional and, to me, looks more like film grain. I actually like this look on my images.

Now, I know there is a lot of marketing hype by “Canikon” pushing the so called “full frame” cameras. They do this because those cameras have a higher profit margin. Can’t blame them for that, I guess. But, don’t think for a minute you have to have one to get good quality images, even in very low light. It just isn’t so any longer. There are other reasons to own that full frame camera, of course. But for my current needs, this D500 will be quite enough.

One thing that really impressed me about this camera was the Auto ISO function. I tend to use this setting when not shooting in a studio. In the early days, it was hit or miss on getting the right exposure. Not so now. I shoot either in manual mode, controlling both my shutter speed and aperture depending on the subject or in aperture priority, both in Auto ISO. Shooting in RAW (NEF), I rarely have to adjust the exposure value more than a half stop.

The bottom line; the D500 is not just for birding. 🙂 The only real drawback that I can see is Nikon’s pathetic DX lens line up. They are pushing the FX concept to the point that I really don’t see a follow-up to the D500. Maybe I’m too cynical. This camera can be a lot of things to a lot of people with just a little more attention to producing quality, fast, DX lenses, especially on the wide end.

Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t turn down a Nikon D810 and a couple of pro lenses, but until someone is in a generous mood, I’ll stick with my D500 and 17-55mm f2.8G ED.

This is not a review, but rather a collection of some thoughts for the serious non-professional photographer, about the Nikon D500. I say for the non-professional because if you are making money with photography you pretty much know what is going to work for you and what is not. And, by “serious” I mean folks that tend to shoot mainly or always in RAW. If you are shooting in Jpeg, and there is nothing wrong with that at all, I still recommend Fuji cameras over all others. Again, this is not scientific, just my thoughts. Your milage will vary!

A few days ago I took delivery of the D500. I’ve shot quite a number of images now, using most all of the features that are touted by Nikon. One exception is shooting fast action. I don’t get much opportunity to do so, and, to be quite honest, if this thing has the same focus system as the D5, well, my guess is it’s pretty darn good at tracking.

Why did I buy the D500 when I’ve shot Fuji exclusively since 2013? Well, there are a couple of reasons. The first, and major reason, is the speed of the camera. I missed the speed of my D4. The second reason is the size. I originally switched to Fuji cameras to go smaller, lighter, and cheaper, which they are. But, after shooting with an X-E2, X-T1 and X-Pro2, I’ve discovered they are just too small for me. In fact, I really use the X-T1 the least and I figured out why. It’s just too cramped, ergonomically for the way I shoot.

So, I’ve decided to keep my Fujijilm X-E2 and the 18-55mm f2.8-4 OIS lens and sell all my other Fuji gear. I’ll use the X-E2 to shoot exclusively in Jpeg. I do love that little camera. Mated to my new Nikon D500 is a used 17-55mm f2.8 DX Nikkor lens. I bought a used one in near mint condition for $740 off Ebay. You’d be a fool to buy one new.

Some thoughts on comparison:

HIGH ISO

Everyone wants to know about high ISO image quality. All I can say is the D500 delivers. Is it better than the Fuji X-Pro2? I guess if you like to nit pick, I’d say yes, but only marginally at best, and I’ve looked at comparative shots processing the Fuji image in both Lightroom CC and Iridient Developer, looking for optimal sharpness. Below is an image I took with both my X-Pro2 and the D500. This is a 50% crop of the image after I processed the D500 image in Lightroom CC, using a VSCO preset I prefer. I like high contrast images. The only noise reduction that was done was default chroma NR. No luminescence NR was used. The noise pattern when viewed at 100% is just so even and grain like. Nikon has been very good at this since the D3.

Yes there is some grain to it but, in a pinch, this is entirely usable and printable.

Metering

One of the best features of my Fujis and of all mirrorless cameras, is having a live histogram in the viewfinder or on the LCD. Obviously the D500 is not mirrorless so it does not have this feature. I took a serious of images to see if “chimping” every image would be necessary to keep from clipping highlights. I used Matrix Metering only, for this test, with no exposure compensation for highlight protection.

I found the metering on my Fujis to be good but I usually had to use exposure compensation for scenes with rather high dynamic range. I chose a location with bright sunshine in the background and shade in the immediate foreground to see how the D500 reacted. I remember from my brief stint with the Nikon D750 that I basically could not clip a highlight. The metering system just would not let that happen. Let’s see what I got. The following images were processed in LR CC using a VCSO preset only. I clicked on the preset and we’re done. The best example would be of the three story tower with large trees in the foreground. If anything would fool the meter to over expose the highlights, this would.

I did not use the highlight protection metering feature on any of the images above. I did try it out in a very dark setting, comparatively, that had a strong highlight in one area. It did fine but I took a second image of the same subject but in standard Matrix Meter mode and found I could easily reproduce the highlight recovery in LR. I thought because the scene was predominately flat the highlight protection metering would mess up the image but it didn’t in this case. Take a look at the image below.

One of the best features of a mirrorless camera, including Fuji, is the live view feature of an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Live view is a wonderful thing and combine that with a tilting rear LCD and new opportunities open up.

The D500 has both a tilting rear LCD and live view capability. Granted, it does not have that wonderful live histogram on the LCD that mirrorless cameras have. I wanted to test the new live view function with touch screen focusing on the D500. I picked a suitable subject well over my head and needed only two shots to get the right one. The tilt screen was great and the exposure was right on. The focus is perfect. I’d say the D500 got it right. Take a look below.

I’m keeping the D500. I think it is a much more refined camera than the Nikon D750. I know, the D750 is “full frame” and perhaps has a ½ stop or ⅔ stop advantage at super high ISO (6400 and above), but I think the D500 is a better camera. This stuff is highly personal so I know there are many that will disagree. Image quality is superb. I would definitely use this camera in my business if I were not retired. Are the images better than the Fujis? I don’t think so. The Fuji cameras produce beautiful files and I would feel comfortable with them in the studio or other portrait settings.

It is a very quick camera. I love that I can now use continuous focus with back button focus 100% of the time as I did with my D4. I don’t care if my subject is static. It just works for me. I was very frustrated with the continuous focus function on the X-Pro2. It tracks well with moving subjects coming toward or going away from you but continuous focus was pretty much useless for anything else. I know Fuji will improve it in the future.

Battery life is fair. It uses a common battery with the D810 and the D750 but my experience with the D750 was that it lasted longer. There is a lot going on inside the camera, including 4K capability, that must be more of a drain. A very simple solution is to buy more batteries. I would say battery life is just slightly better than on my X-Pro2 but I use continuous focus so that is something to consider.

The D500 with the 17-55mm f2.8 Nikkor is huge compared to the Fujifilm cameras. For stealth or if I just don’t want to lug around a camera, I’ll be using my Fuji X-E2, no question. But the D500 by itself is surprisingly light and it just fits my hand better than the X-T1 ever did.

If you own a Nikon D7200 should you sell and move up? I am certainly not one to tell you yes, or no. A friend that has a D7200 loves his. I’ve seen his work. He gets great images, even at very high ISO values. My 2¢ worth of advice, if you don’t need 10fps frame rate, don’t upgrade yet. I know, I said I wasn’t one to tell you yes or no:-)

The missing link with this camera? Lenses! Nikon have let the DX shooters down in this regard. The 17-55mm f2.8 G Nikkor is a decent lens but it was designed around the turn of the century and released in 2003 I believe. If you are a zoom guy, like me, you have darn few options for that very popular 24-70mm (35mm equiv) range. And don’t even think about a super wide Nikkor for that D500. They don’t exist. Will Nikon step up to the plate and deliver pro quality lenses now, for DX? I doubt it. Pretty cynical I know but Nikon has never been one to answer the needs and desires of it’s customers. Fuji has. I just wish they made the D500.

O.K., many of you know I shot Nikon, both amateur and professionally, from 1967 to 2013. But, I made the switch to Fuji after using an X-Pro1, and retiring my photography business. I initially wanted smaller, lighter, and cheaper camera gear for my now, casual photography.

I first bought an X-E2 and then the new X-T1. I had only borrowed the X-Pro1 to test the waters. I love the form factor of the X-E2, and I love the huge EVF of the X-T1. And, I missed the size of the X-Pro1. You often don’t hear that from all the reviewers out there, but I really liked the size. It was kind of the “Goldilocks” size and form factor for me.

Along came the X-Pro2, (Finally)! I read every review I could find on the pre-production model; most good, a few good but with caveats attached. I had to have one, so, I pre-ordered one with my fingers crossed.

I don’t “review” cameras. I’m not a techie type of guy. This is not a review. All I can say is that this camera, X-Pro2, just makes me smile.

My big likes are the stunning Jpegs, the “joystick” used for focus point changes, the high ISO capabilities, and the control layout. My only dislike is the new way to adjust ISO. I much preferred that in the Q menu. In my older age, it is just too difficult to see in that tiny window, especially in low light. But that’s the only negative I’ve found.

I got a chance to shoot part of the Alabama High School Rodeo held in Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery Alabama. It was the worst light I have shot in. It was so bad (low) I had to shoot between 8,000 and 12,800 ISO at 1/500th – 1/800th sec, using my 60mm f2.4, wide open. There was just no way to get to an appropriate shutter speed for the action. Most of what I shot was at 12,800 ISO with a few at 8,000 or 10,000 ISO.

For the first time ever I shot action with a Fuji. My X-Pro2 was set to continuous zone focus and the shutter to high continuous (8fps). I would switch back to single point for the non action shots. It was so easy and fast with the way Fuji designed the 4-way controller. I could not believe how well it performed using the very slow to focus 60mm f2.4 lens.

One last comment. Take these images for what they are. I realize you would not be able to print them 30″x20″ or whatever. They would certainly be good enough for any print newspaper and anyones photo album or website. My take away is that the new Fuji X-Pro2, (and the new X-T2 expected soon), is an awesome camera in a very small package! It puts a smile on my face!! All of these images will be up on My Flickr Page within the week for larger versions.

This post is mostly for amateurs / enthusiasts that continue to struggle with post processing or simply don’t like it. This is not about whether it is better to shoot in RAW or Jpeg. That’s like asking which camera is better, Nikon or Canon? And, we all know the answer is Fuji. 😉

But, I think there is a big misconception out there that the only way to get a good picture is to shoot in RAW and then spend the afternoon in front of the computer fiddling with the tremendous latitude a RAW file affords one. I have found that with Fuji X Jpegs, most of the time that is just not necessary.

I shoot in RAW + Jpeg (Fine) mode. That way I get the best of both worlds, if needed. There are, of course, some draw backs with Jpegs, i.e., a little less dynamic range, unable to change White Balance, a little more noise, and generally less information in the file to manipulate. There are some compelling reasons to shoot Jpeg though. Fuji X cameras correct for lens distortions such as chromatic aberrations (purple fringing), lens diffraction at small apertures through the Lens Modulation Optimizer option, oh, and no mushy OOF foliage issues with Lightroom; 🙂 not to mention great Fuji colors SOOC!

Of course one has to understand the limitations of shooting / using Jpegs. Single images with high dynamic range values are usually best left for RAW. But know how to best shoot / use a Jpeg and wonderful images can happen. In other words, watch that live view histogram!

Below are four images all shot with the Fujifilm X-E2 and the 18-55mm f2.8-4 OIS Fujinon lens, from a recent trip to the Florida panhandle. This is my go to combination for travel until my X-Pro2 arrives. All four Jpeg images have been processed in Adobe Lightroom CC using VSCO presets. You should know VSCO says it is best to use their software on RAW images not Jpegs! Tweaks have been made to each image to suit my taste. In other words, the images have been majorly manipulated, but with minimal effort thanks to VSCO! One of them was even shot at 5000 ISO!

Bottom line, watch your light, shoot within Jpeg boundaries and enjoy your photography more. You don’t have to shoot in RAW to get nice pictures. It’s always there, if you need it, but, if not, no worries. Trust me. Each image is printable. I hate posting 100% crops!

Well, here it comes. A lot of people have been waiting a long time for the Fujifilm X-Pro1 replacement, seeing that it is now about four years old, and so, in a few weeks time the improved X-Pro2 will ship. I have one on pre-order. Full disclosure here; I have no affiliation with Fujifilm. I buy all my own Fuji gear. I am not an official “Fuji X” shooter. I would not consider myself a Fuji “fan boy”. If something better, for me, comes along I’ll buy it and use it. But, I don’t see that happening.

In March of 2015 I posted my story about why I switched from 48 years of shooting Nikon, to using Fuji cameras exclusively. You can read about that HERE. Since that time I have received a lot of questions about my experience and whether the switch was worth it. Lately, the questions have been, “Should I buy the X-Pro2 or wait for the X-T2?”

Well, I can tell you the switch was definitely worth it. I’m very happy with my X-E2 and X-T1 and the images they produce. Are they perfect? The simple answer is, “No”. But, not much is simple any longer.

Will Crockett loaned me an X-Pro1 for a week, in August 2013, with a “kit lens” and told me to shoot only jpegs because, at that time, Lightroom was really harsh on Fuji RAW images. So that’s what I did. I did not care for the quirks of the camera or the layout of the controls. It was slow to focus and the viewfinder was very new to me. I never used the optical viewfinder and found the EVF a little cumbersome. However, I loved the images! I can’t stress that enough. The image below is a straight out of the camera jpeg of that X-Pro1.

I found myself missing that camera after I gave it back. The X-E2 was soon released so I bought that due to the improved EVF, and processor. Now, I’m impatiently waiting on the X-Pro2!!

In a nutshell, why I’m not waiting for the X-T2; I think the X-Pro is the “Goldilocks” of the X-series cameras when it comes to size. I really liked the extra size of the camera. I love my X-E2 but it is just a little too small for me. The same goes for my X-T1. The X-Pro just fits me better. It has nothing to do with bigger is better, at all. Some will not like the larger size, but I do.

A huge plus for me with the X-Pro2 is the ergonomics in relation to that focus “joystick”. I had that on my Nikon D4 and loved it. It will make focusing a breeze while looking through the viewfinder, which I find difficult on my X-T1. The X-Pro rangefinder design just makes shooting easier for me since these cameras are so small. I find my right cheek getting in the way when using the X-T1. I am constantly having to drop the camera from my eye to adjust something. I rarely have to do that with my X-E2, especially with FW 4.0 installed!

No need for me to wait for the X-T2. There is no way Fuji will have screwed up the image quality and I have read that high ISO, which is very important to me, is about one full f-stop better! I can hardly wait. I am cautious though. I ordered my X-Pro2 through Amazon. It won’t take more than one afternoon and just a few snaps to see whether I will keep it. With Amazon’s fabulous return policy, I’m covered.

So, I’m not waiting for the X-T2 but to answer the question as to whether you should, maybe. The new X-Pro will not have a tilting LCD. That is a very big deal to some, especially nature and landscape photographers. I never thought I would care about that feature but it really comes in handy. The shot below was taken with my X-T1, fully extended on my tripod. I would never have been able to compose the image without the tilting LCD.

The other issue I see for most that I have talked to is that they have never even held a rangefinder camera before. I guess that’s way before their time. They have a difficult time getting use to the “feel” of the camera. Since, 1967 all I had ever shot was a Nikon SLR, both film and digital. So, I get it. If that’s the case perhaps you should wait.

Why am I suggesting waiting for the X-T2 instead of buying the very capable X-T1? Because of that little “joystick” used for focusing. It will undoubtably be included in the new design. Why wouldn’t it? The X-shooters that beta tested the X-Pro2 rave about it. I just find focusing on my X-T1 to be a little cumbersome. The camera still takes incredible images, but, sometimes it’s just the little things that make you smile. Will I buy the new X-T2 when it comes out? You bet!! Who knows, it may even have a few more upgrades the X-Pro2 doesn’t have.

I’ve rambled on too long. I’m retired now from my photography business, but, I would not hesitate to use either of my Fujis if given an assignment today. They are that good and getting better. Good Shooting!!

This Blog post may surprise a few of my friends and colleagues, as I have not made a big deal of switching to a completely new, (for me), camera system. I had been a Nikon shooter since a teenager in 1967. I started with a Nikkormat FS in 1967. It didn’t have a light meter but it was all I could afford at 15 years of age. Over the years I acquired a Nikkormat FTn, Nikkormat EL, Nikon F2 Photomic, Nikon D70, Nikon D200, Nikon D3, D3s, and finally the D4.

The Seeds Are Planted

During the spring and summer of 2013 I began an email conversation with a very well known commercial photographer and teacher, Will Crockett. I read or watched a Blog post of his describing the changes he saw coming in photography. They centered around mirrorless cameras and their ability to capture stills and video. I was intrigued by his insights so I emailed him. We corresponded and discussed the pros and cons of Olympus, Panasonic, and Fujifilm cameras. I told him I was much more interested in still photography and didn’t really care about video. He recommended I look into Fuji cameras. He then offered to loan me one of his Fujifilm X-Pro1’s along with the “kit lens”, (18-55mm f2.8-f4, OIS) and the 60mm f2.4 macro.

I shot several hundred images during that week of shooting with the X-Pro1, including the one above. I only shot jpegs, no RAW, (RAF). At that time Lightroom 4.7 was just awful converting Fuji RAW images. Now, I knew of Fujifilm from the wonderful jpeg machines of their early pro digital cameras, the S3 and S5 Pro. I had no idea they made this new “X” camera. While I was not in love with the ergonomics and quirks of handling the X-Pro, I loved the end result; and in such a small, light package. At the end of the week, I mailed the gear back to Will. I was still shooting with my Nikon D4 but realized I never took it with me when I left the house. I looked back and remembered that little X-Pro went with me everywhere. It was fun again, not hefting the brick of a camera and large glass.

The Switch

I began to, over the next several months, miss the X-Pro1 in my hand. Even with all the faults, and believe me, there are faults. I realized the camera made me stop and think about what I was photographing. It was slow, but, it was more like what I remembered in my earlier days. It was fun again. I had always said my D3 and D4 were just outrageously expensive point and shoot cameras. They are FAST, no doubt, and after initial set up you do just mostly point and fire off frames. At least I did.

My needs had changed. I moved to Montgomery, Alabama, from Tampa Florida. My business was virtually non existent and I really did not need the big cameras and big glass that my Nikon system provided. I was ready to downsize, and slow down.

In December of 2013 I made the switch. I sold all of my Nikon gear and started with the Fuji X-E2 camera. I bought all the Fujinon XF lenses I thought I would need for the new direction my business was taking me. I bought the X-E2 because it had an updated 16MP sensor and processor and some other features that made it a little more shooter friendly than the aging X-Pro1. And, there were rumors of a new, updated X-Pro just around the corner.

The new and improved X-Pro never made it but Fuji came out with a real winner, the X-T1. That was my next purchase and my second camera body. It has the same sensor and processor that my X-E2 has so the images look identical. This was important to me as a professional. The X-E2 would be my backup camera on professional jobs. I didn’t want different looks to images if I had to switch out cameras in the middle of a shoot.

My Ending Thoughts

I have no regrets in ditching my Nikon gear for the Fuji X system. Please understand I loved the quality of my Nikon equipment. I shot Nikon for 47 years and was a member of Nikon Professional Service (NPS). I would never discourage anyone from buying and using Nikon professional cameras. I preferred them over Canon for many reasons. But, my needs changed.

I switched because I didn’t need the fast cameras and lenses, or the bulk, any longer. I wanted to slow my photography down a notch. I wanted photography to be fun again. I switched to Fuji because of the wonderful image quality, the smaller size and weight, and the lenses. It is a total package for me. The bonus with mirrorless, is the WYSIWYG function of the EVF. Now I can see immediately if I need to make a White Balance adjustment before the shutter fires. I’m getting things right in the the camera and relying less on post. In fact, I find I use the jpegs instead of the RAW images more than half the time.

I posted more X-E2 images here to show the quality of this little camera. It’s small and unassuming but produces spectacular images. Give the Fuji’s a try and you’ll probably be hooked too.

A couple of months ago I read a piece in the local paper, Montgomery Advertiser, that was about the oldest farmer’s market in Alabama. Having only moved to the area one year ago, I had never heard of the place known as the Montgomery Curb Market. My wife knew of it and had shopped there several times in the past when visiting her folks in Montgomery. She wanted to go again so I thought I would tag along and get a couple of photographs.

The market is located at 1004 Madison Ave, Montgomery Alabama. It got its start in the 1920’s, and moved to this location in 1947. It has thrived at this location for over 65 years!

Inside you’ll find a few flowers, and a bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Everyone is very friendly and if you don’t see what you want, just ask. They’ll be sure to tell you if another vendor may have it.

One important thing to remember, bring cash. Nothing else is accepted.

If it can be put up in jars, you will probably find it. This booth had it all!

Wild honey? Yup, they have it.

Clanton peaches? They have those too, and bunches of them!

We enjoyed shopping there. We went on July 5th and there were only about 20 or so vendors there. It was nice though because it can really get crowded from what I am told. I had a little more room to get some pictures. We will definitely be going back.

I made a trip to Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham Alabama this past weekend. I really didn’t want to go on a Saturday and I didn’t want to go in the middle of the day, for photographing it, but the opportunity came up and I went.

Aldridge Gardens has a reputation, in this area, as a photographer’s paradise, especially for family portrait photography, as well as a beautiful wedding venue. I quickly found out why. The gardens are so popular with photographers that management has now had to set up a system to manage the many professionals that wish to use this beautiful backdrop. Go to their website menu under “Photo Guild Gallery”, for all the information on fees and restrictions.

On this day I was there as a tourist. In late June not much is in bloom so there was some disappointment there. Also, on this particular day the gardens were hosting their annual art festival. That wasn’t good for me either as there were people wandering around everywhere! Photo ops were hard to come by.

One big plus was I met Maurice Cook, a very talented artist. His art could be described as “Black Americana”. What ever you call it, it was mesmerizing. I think like most, I don’t know much about art, except, I know what I like and don’t like. Maurice Cook’s work definitely had an impact on me. He is only locally known. He has no website nor email address. He told me up until two weeks previous, he didn’t even have a cell phone. You can see some of his work by Googling “Maurice Cook Artist”, then go to “Images”. It’s not much but worth the look. I was able to make two quick portraits of him.

You will find tranquil streams and small waterfalls an, in the Spring, beautiful flowers everywhere. There is even a small lake for a backdrop. I found these beautiful blue hydrangeas blooming on this June day.